The golf club art has seen substantial creative work in clubhead mass distribution, clubhead configuration, audible and sensory feedback and the like. Much has been done in golf putter design in an effort to improve the performance of the golfer or otherwise enhance the golfing experience. U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,405 to Karsten Solheim issued on Jul. 3, 1962 and discloses a golf putter having internal weights at the heel and toe ends of the club. The end blocks are connected together by one or two thin face plates and a bar that supports a hosel to produce a ringing sound and a torsion bar effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,395 to Morton Reiss discloses a putter head having an elongate low mass center section with a length at least 1½ times the ball diameter and two, more massive, end sections for inertial stability. The three sections have substantially the same transverse cross section and are connected together longitudinally. A conventional club shaft is proximally secured to the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,744 to Alcala also relates to a toe-heel weighted golf putter. Toe and heel weights are mounted on a lightweight frame structure of two thin narrow plates made up of light weight composite material. One plate, the hosel plate that supports a light weight hosel, is slotted behind the face plate to provide a resilient mid-portion for striking the ball.
Another approach to putter shape, size and weight distribution is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,543 to McGeeney et al. where a center portion of the head is of relatively low mass density, non-metallic material. The head has higher density metallic heel and toe portions and all three portions are of substantially uniform depthwise construction joined along transverse faces. Various methods for making the three clubhead portions and joining their transverse faces are described. An integrally formed high density hosel extends upwardly from the heel portion.
Some putters known in the art are said to have an awkward “feel” when striking a golf ball, believed to be in part because of the distribution of weight within the clubhead. In addition, while the prior art has provided other golf clubs that are said to have a proper feel and to be properly balanced, many of these golf clubs are unattractive and the physical appearance is distractive. Some configurations do not provide the optimum perspective to the golfer as the ball is addressed nor provide a satisfactory audible or tactile response as the club strikes the ball. Moreover, the club and clubhead configurations often involve complex manufacturing procedures and costly manufacturing equipment. Thus there exists an ongoing need in the art for a golf putter that has an optimum balance and feel, an appearance and a sighting perspective which support concentration and audible and tactile responses that optimize the relationship between golfer and putter.
General objects of this invention include providing a golf putter that optimizes the foregoing criteria and providing improved and efficient manufacturing methods that enhance and compliment the new product.
In the parent U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,376, referenced in Paragraph [0001] above, a golf putter invention is disclosed that satisfies the need as set forth in Paragraph [0007]. The golf putter set forth herein retains and enhances the benefits of the invention of the '376 patent. Moreover, the instant invention provides product designs and methods of manufacture that improve product quality and performance and lower the cost and complexity of manufacturing.